This Day, That Year

Item from Feb 25, 1986, in China Daily: China's first hydrotropic greenhouse - where vegetables are grown in water-soaked sponges - began supplying Beijing's major hotels this week. The greenhouse is located in the Dabeiyao section of eastern Beijing. Planting began in January of such vegetables as celery, lettuce, cauliflower, chives, peas, turnip greens and cucumbers.

While most of these are already grown in conventional greenhouses in Beijing's suburbs, the sterilized hydrotropic greenhouse needs no pesticides.

Environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity and light are constantly regulated by computer.